Till Shiloh Comes–a Review by Patsy Ledbetter

Till Shiloh Comes, written by Gilbert Morris and published by Bethany House Publishers (2005), is the fascinating story of Joseph from the Bible. It is fiction, much of the story is imagined, but the basic biblical facts are there.

Jacob, Joseph’s father, had twelve sons by four women. His sons were, in order of their birth, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin, all of whom became the heads of their own family groups, later known as the twelve tribes of Israel.

The story begins when Joseph is seventeen and very impressionable. Jacob calls Joseph’s mother Rachel, who passed away, his True Wife. She was the woman Jacob loved the most. Joseph’s younger brother Benjamin was also born of Rachel. Joseph and Benjamin have been spoiled because they were born from the favored wife.

Although they are sweet boys, Joseph often comes to his father to tattle on his older brothers. Jacob gives Joseph a very colorful coat to wear and his brothers tease him about it. Joseph has dreams and tells them to his brothers.

In Joseph’s dreams, he is exalted and his brothers bow down to him. This infuriates them. His brothers begin to resent him and are mean to him. Reuben, the oldest, understands how much Joseph means to their father Jacob, so he looks out for Joseph and stands up for him. Joseph knows there are problems with his brothers and he starts trying to make things right.

Things escalate, and the brothers decide to take a journey to another area so their animals can graze in a rich pastureland. Soon, Jacob sends Joseph, who is loaded down with gifts for his brothers to visit them. Joseph wears his colorful coat on this journey.

He arrives and the brothers are not happy to see him. Reuben goes off for a while on an errand and the brothers’ anger is stirred up. They begin beating Joseph, intending to kill him. Then they begin to fear killing him and throw him into a pit.

When Reuben returns, he is horrified and pulls Joseph out of the pit. The brothers insist on selling Joseph as a slave to some travelers on the road. Reuben objects, but he is overruled. The brothers sell Joseph and then take the colorful coat their father gave him, put blood on it and send it back with a servant to make their father believe a wild animal attacked Joseph.

When Jacob sees the coat, he is beside himself, miserable with remorse and regret for sending Joseph. He clings tightly to Benjamin, but Jacob is never quite the same.

Meanwhile, Joseph becomes a slave in the house of Potiphar, a rich man who takes a liking to him and puts him in charge of his household. Joseph works there, until Potiphar’s wife falsely accuses him of trying to seduce her. Potiphar sends Joseph to prison.

Being a very bright and learned young man, Joseph works hard in prison, and soon advances to a position where he is placed in charge of many of the other prisoners. As these changes take place in his life, he does not become boastful or proud, but rather humble and very likable. He is kind and forgiving to everyone, and he knows that it is God who is placing him in authority. He lives a life of obedience to God.

While working in the prison, there are two men from the Pharaoh’s staff, his butler and his baker, who end up there. They both have dreams and Joseph interprets them correctly.

Later when Pharaoh has a dream, his butler says that Joseph will be able to interpret it correctly. Pharaoh sends for Joseph. Joseph says that there will seven years of plenty and during this time much grain must be stored up for the seven bad drought years to follow. Pharaoh is convinced this is the correct interpretation and promotes Joseph to his second in command over all the land of Egypt.

Eventually, Joseph is reunited with his father and brothers, and everyone is amazed how God has worked it all out to His glory and the good of Jacob’s family. Joseph insists that God has taken something that was meant for evil and has turned it into good.

I found this Biblical drama very captivating. It encouraged me in my own faith. It will help others to trust when all seems lost. I know it will encourage those who are struggling with feeling inferior. It shows how God is working all things for good in the lives of those who believe in Him, even when it seems the opposite. It encourages people to hope in Him and His mysterious ways. I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did. I would recommend it to any reader eighteen and above.

Patsy Ledbetter says she has many titles, but her favorite is being mom to her six children. Her two daughters, two sons and one son-in-law and one-daughter-in-law are her joy. A teacher with forty years experience Patsy has taught children of all ages and also special needs children and adults. She writes occasionally for a local newspaper and performs in church theater productions on a regular basis. Her husband is the church choir and orchestra director. They have been married for more than 35 years. She says, “It is my desire to bring honor and glory to my Lord Jesus in every area where He has allowed me to minister.”